David Bromberg

A strikingly gifted multi-instrumentalist with an intuitive understanding of American roots music styles and a sly sense of humor, David Bromberg has earned a following for his many solo recordings and has served as a sideman and collaborator with some of the most respected artists in his field. David Bromberg was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 19, 1945, and spent most of his childhood in Tarrytown, New York. As a teenager, Bromberg got hooked on rock & roll and began exploring the blues, folk, and country artists that informed early rock, such as Pete Seeger, Reverend Gary Davis, Muddy Waters, Flatt & Scruggs, and Bill Monroe. When he was 13, Bromberg began learning the guitar, and after graduating from high school, he attended Columbia University, where he studied musicology and began playing Greenwich Village folk clubs.

While his early gigs didn't pay much, he struck up friendships with a number of noted musicians and began studying with his hero Reverend Davis. Bromberg's guitar skills didn't go unnoticed, and he began accompanying a number of village folk acts both on-stage and in the studio, including Tom Paxton, Tom Rush, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Richie Havens. Bromberg was playing guitar with singer Rosalie Sorrels when she was booked to play the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival in Great Britain; Bromberg played an impromptu solo set after Sorrels was done, and he went over well enough that he was offered a deal with Columbia Records as a solo artist. Bromberg's self-titled debut was released in 1971, and featured the song "The Holdup," a radio favorite that Bromberg co-wrote with George Harrison. Between 1971 and 1976, Bromberg recorded six albums for Columbia and toured extensively as well as maintaining a hectic schedule of session work, lending his talents on guitar, Dobro, mandolin, and fiddle to albums by Bob Dylan, Carly Simon, the Eagles, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, Gordon Lightfoot, Bonnie Raitt, Doug Sahm, and many more. (Bromberg also produced an album for Dylan that has yet to be released in full.)

In 1977, Bromberg signed a new record deal with Fantasy Records, and issued his first album for the label, Reckless Abandon; three more albums of new material followed, but in 1980 Bromberg decided he was tired of the rigors of touring and took a sabbatical from the road, occasionally playing sessions for friends and staging occasional live shows but devoting most of his time to studying at the Kenneth Warren School of Violin Making in Chicago. It wasn't until 1990 that Bromberg released a new album, Sideman Serenade, and it was 2007 when his next studio set appeared, Try Me One More Time, which earned a Grammy nomination as Best Traditional Folk Album. In the meantime, Bromberg had established a successful business building and repairing violins as well as dealing in quality instruments, and in 2002 he opened a shop in Wilmington, Delaware, simply called David Bromberg Fine Violins. In 2011, Bromberg returned with a new and ambitious solo album, Use Me, in which he performed new songs written at his request by some of his favorite tunesmiths, including John Hiatt, Guy Clark, Dr. John, Keb' Mo', and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos. ~ Mark Deming

In his decade plus Sabbatical from the road David also became the greatest student of American violin making. His collection of American instruments put American violin making on the map in Cremona, Mittenwald and Mirecort where American violin making had previously been considered crude country fiddle building. I wouldn't be surprised to see him awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship.

In '83 or '84 I saw David perform in Seattle with John Sebastion and Arlo Guthrie. What a show. They all play multiple instruments and each is able to carry their own solo show. All 3 together was a once-in a-life time kind of highlight.

1 of the best story within a story songs ever David 's rendition gives me goose bumps sometimes when I perform it,it makes me cry. Nitty gritty dirt bands cover is also awesome with uncle Charley's intro on harp with his dog

This freaked me out This isn't fake. Apparently, if you copy and paste this on ten comments in the next ten minutes, you will have the best day of your life tomorrow. You will either get kissed or asked out. If you break this chain you will see a dead girl in your room tonight. In the next 53 minutes someone will say I love you or I'm sorry This freaked me out This isn't fake. This freaked me out This isn't fake. Apparently, if you copy and paste this on ten comments in the next ten minutes

1975, what a run! May in the U. of Scranton Gym, August at Philly Folk Fest and then he closed out the summer in the Gold Dome on Steel Pier in Atlantic City. The next year at the Academy of Music, when his mic went down, he toed the edge of the stage and with his guitar captivated the crowd, could have heard a pin drop. Class performer - return to Philly Folk Festival in 2012, on stage all three nights sitting in and weaving artists together, Saturday Finale with Levon Helm on You Tube!

4 years ago

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shantteyman

Have seen him live too many times to count. I used to watch him and Norman Blake on Philadelphia on MPT/PBS in the early 70's. A superb performer; I got to pick a little with him at the Susquehanna Bluegrass Festival in the late 70's. He's a flash player ! One of the most tasteful players out there.

4 years ago

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david-silverman

I first heard David play at Jabberwocky at SU in 1971. For over 40 years I have played his music more than any other artist. It doesn't get any better than this.

-I have seen him 20 times over the years , never lets you down-can't get enough-

4 years ago

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jim850208

First got to know David in the 70's with his version of Mr. Bojangles, (better than Jerry Jeff's) then for some reason lost track of him. Thanks Pandora for helping me find this great picker, writer, singer and overall great entertainment.

Yes... David has a quirky sense of humor that goes along with his wonderful picking. In 1981 two women friends and I saw David in Seattle. Their new found feminism failed to appreciate the satirical lyrics he added to a traditional blues song and thought him to be a huge sexist. Still chuckle when I remember that. By the way, still married to one of those women.

i play with david in a blues jam on Wednesday at the queen in Wilmington, just a great musician wow

4 years ago

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drains18

I loved the album, Bandit in a Bathing Suit.

4 years ago

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metroid1398

David's Album How Late'll Ya Play Til features the BEST blues song I've EVER heard - I Will Not Be Your Fool. It still blows me away after all these years. I'm pretty sure I blew up a couple pairs of speakers playing that song at max volume back in the day!!!

Blues to Bluegrass with Rock, Country and everything else in between! Great player and a great showman. Funny as hell, too. Has an amazing way with words he makes up himself - "I don't think words can describe his cheapiosity. His cheaptitude was beyond my vocabulary..." (from Jelly Jaw Joe, one of MANY favorites). So glad he's touring again! Awesome live!